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Festive fervour: Rampant encroachment leads to chaos in Ludhiana, MC looks other way
Relaxation was given to shopkeepers in view of the losses incurred by them due to Covid-19
The municipal corporation’s anti-encroachment staff looked the other way as roadside shop owners at all the shopping destinations of the city encroached upon the roads a day before Diwali.
Chaura Bazar, Karimpura Chowk, and Field Gunj area witnessed heavy rush on Friday.
Shopkeepers, stall owners, and street vendors encroached upon the roads to display their goods and, ultimately led to huge traffic jams in the interior parts of the city. Areas around Dandi Swami Chowk, Ghumar Mandi, Jawahar Nagar Market, and Model Town also witnessed similar scenes as shopkeepers kept benches on the roads to display their commodities.
City residents were irked by the chaotic situation.
“Visit any place in the city and, you will find a traffic jam owing to the encroachments by the shopkeepers. The sweetshop owners as well as the crockery shopkeepers displayed their goods outside their establishments to attract customers at Rani Jhansi Road and Sham Singh Road near HIG Flats,” said Munish Dogra, a resident of Durgapuri in Haibowal.
The residents also complained that not only did the shopkeepers encroach upon the roads but also occupied the parking space.
“Little do they know that by encroaching upon the roads, they are losing customers instead of attracting them. If customers will not find parking space then how will they shop,” questioned Kiran Punni, a resident of Model Gram.
On the other hand, a shopkeeper in Ghumar Mandi, while justifying the encroachments, said, “Covid has impacted the businesses badly. Many establishments had to be closed while several others were on the verge of shutting down therefore we have put all our goods on display and expect to revive from losses this season.”
Recently the MC officials had taken a tough stance against encroachments in the city and had written to the police department seeking registration of FIRs against defaulters.
MC secretary Neeraj Jain said some relaxation was given to the shopkeepers keeping in view the losses they had incurred due to Covid.
“However, strictness will be maintained soon after Diwali celebrations are over and no encroachments of any kind will be allowed,” said Jain.
